HDR Placement FAQs

Industry Placements provide UQ HDR candidates with an opportunity to apply their research skills in a professional environment while developing industry experience, professional networks, and transferable skills.

The information below outlines important considerations relating to eligibility, placement requirements, scholarships and payments, candidature implications, and arranging a suitable host organisation.

You are encouraged to review this information carefully before submitting a placement application.

If I am not eligible for a Placement Scholarship, or I am not interested in receiving it, can I still undertake a placement?

Yes. All PhD students can undertake an Industry Placement, even if they are not eligible for -- or do not wish to receive -- the scholarship.

In these cases, the placement is not subject to Commonwealth scholarship conditions. This means there is no minimum requirement of 60 working days, and the host organisation is not required to meet the research-end user criteria.

However, the application and approval process is the same for all placements.

If I am receiving a non-UQ scholarship, am I still eligible for the PhD Industry Placement Scholarship/Award?

Can international PhD candidates undertake Industry Placements?

What does “register your intention to undertake a Placement within 18 months” mean?

If I take an interruption or leave, does that extend my 18-month deadline?

Yes. The deadline is extended by the duration of approved leave or interruption, including paid personal leave, paid parental leave, paid partner leave, and paid family and domestic violence leave.

Paid recreation leave does not extend the deadline as this leave entitlement is already built into your candidature timelines.

For part-time candidates, the adjusted deadline remains based on the 36-month timeframe.

Is there any flexibility with the 18-month deadline? Can I request an extension?

I transferred my PhD from another university to UQ. When does the 18-month deadline start?

If I transferred from an MPhil to a PhD, how is the 18-month deadline calculated?

What is the difference between the UQ PhD Industry Placement Scholarship and the UQ PhD Industry Placement Award?

The UQ PhD Industry Placement Scholarship applies to candidates who already hold a UQ HDR stipend and provides a three-month extension to that stipend after successful placement completion.

The UQ PhD Industry Placement Award applies to candidates who do not hold a UQ stipend, including externally funded or sponsored candidates, and provides a one-off payment equivalent to three months of a UQ HDR stipend.

If I am a UQGRSS scholarship holder, will I continue receiving my stipend during the placement?

Are there any other scholarships or funding opportunities while we are on placement?

Not from the Graduate Research School. The Graduate Research School only administers the UQ HDR Placement Scholarship and Award. Some placement hosts and faculties may offer additional support.

For example, HDR candidates in the Faculty of Science (excluding QAAFI) undertaking placements more than 50 km from Brisbane may apply for the Science HDR Industry Placement Travel Assist Award.

If the placement is paid, does that affect my eligibility for the scholarship or award?

Do I have to submit a separate application for the UQ PhD Industry Placement Scholarship/Award?

When is the best time to undertake a placement?

If my placement is approved, will my progress review dates change?

If I finish my placement and submit my thesis before the stipend ends, does it affect the stipend and the scholarship for the three-month extension?

Can I split the minimum required 60 days across two different organisations?

Does the minimum 60 days need to be completed full-time, or can it be part-time?

Can I change the placement project after approval?

Can I change my placement from full-time to part-time after I commence the placement?

Can I change my placement dates after the project brief is approved?

Does the placement need to be related to my PhD research topic?

A placement may be related to, or aligned with, your thesis topic or broader research area, and may draw on your disciplinary knowledge or research skills.

However, placements cannot be used to collect data or generate outputs for inclusion in your thesis.

Data or intellectual property (IP) generated during the placement may belong to the host organisation and may also be subject to confidentiality and IP provisions.